PNP wants P900M budget for ‘Tokhang’

Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate found the P900 million budget being asked by the Philippine National Police (PNP) for its anti-drug war staggering.

The lawmaker on Thursday expressed alarm because of the huge jump: this year, the PNP’s Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded or Oplan Tokhang had a budget of P20 million.

HOUSE GRILLING Philippine National Police chief Ronald de la Rosa gestures during the budget hearing at the House of Representatives. The police is asking for P8 billion budget for 2018. PHOTO BY RUY L. MARTINEZ

Zarate pointed out that with a P20-million budget, there have been over 12,000 reported deaths related to the government’s war against illegal drugs.

“With a P900 million budget for the Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded, how many more deaths are we expecting here? How many more Kian delos Santoses will die?” Zarate asked, referring to the 17-year-old boy killed by policemen during an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City.